Typographic keyboard mechanism



Oct. 20, 1936. G. w. cuRTlss 2,058,137

TYPOGRAPHIC KEYBOARD MECHANISM File d May 59, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mum/70R:

Oct. 20, 1936 7 5, w, -n55 I 2,058,137

TYPOGRAPHI C KEYBQARD MECHANI SM Filed May 29, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TYPOGRAPHIC KEYBOARD MECHANISM Filed May 29, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet ,3

' yayrqz Patented oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I TYPOGRAPHIG KEYBOARD MECHANISM Gordon W. Curtiss, Atlanta, Ga.

Application May 29,

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to, typographic machines, particularly to keyboard perforating machines, in which the depression of keys produce signals in a record strip for the subsequent control of a suitable typecasting machine and also cause the operation of the measuring mechanism to record the width or set values of the individual characters represented by the keys depressed. A machine of this kind is manufactured and sold by Lanston Monotype Machine Company and has been well-known for many years by those skilled in the art. A representation of such machine as to its basic construction and operation will be found in United States Letters Patent No. 944,405, issued December 28th, 1909 to J. S. Bancroft and M. C. Indahl. Improvements thereto are shown in subsequent Letters Patent, such as, for example, No. 1,193,346, issued August 1st, 1916 to J. S. Bancroft and M. C. Indahl, and the machine is so well-known in its commercial .form that no detailed description is necessary.

The object of this invention is generally to increase the measuring capacity of a keyboard perforating machine of the class referred to, where by types of abnormally wide dimension set-wise may be accurately measured in keyboard units. On the depression of certain keys of such a machine, such keys as the quad and leader keys, a compound signal will be perforated therefor in each case, which signal will include a space transfer signal in addition to the usual signal perforations and the machine will measure abnormal widths to the extent of double or more the measuring capacity of the commercial machine. Thus, the keyboarding of composition consisting of such characters will be speeded up to such an extent that only half the usual time will be required. In addition, the compound signal, automatically produced, will have the effect when the record strip is employed on a suitable casting machine of transferring the casting operation to the space transfer wedge, whereby quads, leaders and the like will be cast of the abnormal Width measured by the keyboard. Another object is to provide a stop bar construction whereby the coupling of the space transfer punch, to produce the compound signal previously referred to, will result in the automatic un-coupling of the corresponding space transfer stop, whereby the true width of the character will be recorded, while such stop will be coupled to operate with the space transfer punch when a, space transfer signal only is produced as when the space bar of the keyboard machine is depressed. This and. other objects of this invention are attained, as will more particu- 1936, Serial No. 82,552

larly be pointed-out, or will otherwise appear in connection with the following description of the embodiment of the invention shown in the-accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showingthe measuring mechanism of a keyboard typographic machine,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the wide forward stop mechanism, certain parts being-shown in sections,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the unit rack stop guide,

Fig. 4 is a section on approximately line 4--4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing details of the wide stop mechanism, r

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the unit rack abutment and associated parts, and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the back of the stop bar unit.

The keyboard machine shown is of the general 1 construction set forth in the aforementioned patents and, as already stated, a detailed description thereof is unnecessary, the machine being universally well-known and understood both as V to its construction and its operation. It should be sufficient to point-out certain elementsshown in the drawings for purposes of identification, for example, the unit wheel I, the unit wheel pawl 2, theunit rack 3, the unit rack slide 4, the unit wheel pawl operating lever 5, tension arm connecting rod lever 6, comprising a lever system for meshing and unmeshing the unit rack with the unit wheel, the punches l and levers 8 connecting them with the stop bars 9, the lower ends of which bars are connected with the forward'unit rack stops l0 (see Figure 3 of 944,405) the unit rack abutment or zero stop II, provided with its detent l2, the unit rack stop guide l3 for the forward stops l0. 7 I

The construction arrangement and functioning of the above associated parts are known to those skilled in the art. The depression of a character key operates upon a set of keybars having lugs to engage with selected valve bars (none of these parts being shown) to cause by pneumatic action the upward movement of generally two punches I, thus resulting in the double perforation of the record strip to produce a signal indicating the character struck. One component of this signal represents location of the matrix case in the cast ing machine and the other component represents both location and dimension, the latter referring to set width of the type to be cast and being controlled in the casting machine-by the position of wedgesemployed in connection with the'typecasting mold. One of the punches which produced the double signal; that is, the dimensioning punch, is connected with a lever B, the other end of which is connected to the upper end of a corresponding stop bar 9 so that as the punch moves upwardly, the lower end of the stop bar moves downwardly to project its stop I!) upwardly into the line of movement of the unit rack and arrest the motion of the latter at the location of the stop. Thus, the set value of the character width in units is measured by the degree of movement of the unit rack and its wheel, as governed by the appropriate stop. The degree of such movement is limited in commercial machines to approximately 18 units, although this may be extended slightly by adjustment. I have, however, provided additional stop mechanism, by which the capability of the machine is radically increased so far as set measurement is concerned to an extent of or more. In other words, this additional stop mechanism coupled with other additions and alterations to be described enables the keyboard to measure thirty-six units or more, there being also provided an intermediate stop for, for example, twenty-seven units.

' The unit rack 3 (Fig. 1) is provided with a sufficient number of additional teeth so that it will be able to measure abnormally wide set values. The rack is, therefore, longer than the usual rack and to bring it back in zero location, the zero stop or abutment I I is moved backwardly and secured to the frame of the measuring portion of the machine as by the bolt M. The detent l2 of the unit rack abutment l l is provided on its rear with a horizontal arm I 5 (Fig. 6). This arm is moved upwardly in properly timed relation by the motion of the proximate ends of the unit wheel pawl operating lever 5 and the tension arm connecting rod lever B. An extension I6 is provided between these levers and the arm Hi. This extension comprises a hub H which is located in the hollow portion 18 of the lever 6, the hub being perforated to accommodate the reduced cylindrical end IQ of the lever 5. The hub I? is thus slidable both on the reduced portion l9 of the lever 5 and within the hollow portion l8 of the lever B. To the hub is rigidly connected the extension proper I6 which forms a continuation of the lever 5 and at its further end said extension is offset to come under the arm I5 on the detent l2. The detent is thus operated by an extension between the detent and the lever system, said extension being carried by the latter.

The unit rack lever 20 (Fig. 1) is of suflicient length and formation so that it will accommodate the unit rack in its full travel from zero position to its maximum abnormal position. The lever is for this purpose provided with an offset curved portion so that it does not interfere with the shaft of the unit wheel or any other part of the measuring mechanism during its travel. The unit rack lever 20 is returned to zero position by means of a spring 2| which has sufficient length so that in the travel of the lever to measure abnormal widths, the spring is not elongated sufiiciently to produce an excessive backward pull. The spring is secured at its rear end to a screw 22 in a conveniently located fixed part 23 of the machine, said screw being provided with nuts so that the tension of the spring may be adjusted in an obvious manner and locked in position. The middle portion of the spring is supported in a tube 24 supported by the bracket 25 and the bolt 26 to the fixed portion of the frame of the machine which serves also for the adjustment of the unit rack abutment. The tube 24 is slightly larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the coils of the spring 2| and its purpose is not only to support and guide the spring, but to prevent undue lateral vibrations of the spring as a whole, which would be set up because of the high speed under which the keyboard is operated, particularly when equipped with a repeater mechanism, such as is known to those skilled in the art.

The forward movement of the unit rack 3 is arrested by the appropriate stop as determined by coupling of said stop with the positioning and dimensioning punch producing the record strip signal or a component thereof. The selected stop is, of course, elevated into position to be struck by the rack. The group of stops is guided in the part l3 (Figs. 1 and 3). Additional stops are provided in accordance with my invention, forwardly of the group I 0 in the form of a movable member 2l' which as shown is slideably mounted in a horizontal plane and is movable in that plane at right angles to the motion of the rack. The member 2'! is mounted upon the block 28 which is slideable, in the direction of movement of the rack, on the frame 29 secured to a convenient fixed part of the keyboard as by the screw 30. The stop member 2'! is provided with a tongue and the block 28 with a groove so that the former may slide on the latter at right angles to the direction of movement of the latter. Bolts 3! are provided to secure the two together and slots are also provided in any suitable well-known manner to allow of the sliding movement of the stop 21 on the block 28. A spring bracket 32 is provided suitably on the block 28 for the accommodation of a Spring 33, the end of which is attached to the bracket and the other to the slideable stop 2?. This spring tends to maintain the slide 27 normally in a position so that its surface 21' is in position to be struck by the rack 3 if none of the stops II] has been operated. This surface 2'! represents the furthermost point to which the rack 3 is allowed to travel and may be positioned to represent an abnormal width measurement such as 36 units. Cut back from the surface 21 is the surface 2'!" which is adapted to come into the path of movement of the rack when the slide stop 21 has been moved on its block 28 against the action of the spring 33.

This surface then causes the measurement of an intermediate abnormal amount, and the slide may be so made that it represents, say, 27 units. The slide 2'! is operated against the tension of the spring 33 by means of a selected one of the group of stops l0. As shown, the last stop marked I0 is selected. It is provided with a lateral projection 34', which extends externally of the stop guide R3 to a position in which its cam end 35 strikes against the cam 36 formed on the slide 21 when the stop i0 is operated in the usual way. It will be seen that the action of these cams will produce an inward sliding movement of the stop 2'! to place its surface 21 in position to be struck by the unit rack. Upon the return movement of the stop ill, the spring 33 will, of course, return the slide 27 to normal position, in which the stop surface 2'! will be located to be engaged by the rack to measure 36 units. The block 28 is provided with a vertical wall 28 into which is secured the screw 35 (Fig. 2), surrounding which is a compression spring 36, one end of which contacts with the boss or enlargement 35" on said screw and the other end with the end wall of a hollow screw 31, the outer surface of which is provided with screw threads to engage with an aperturev in the fixed fraine 29*, the axis=of the aperture, the screw 31 and the screw 35" being in line parallel to the directionof motion of the racks3.."'I.he screw 35" is provided. with a screw threaded end for the .accommodationrof adjusting and lock nuts 38 at the outer end of the hollow screw 31. Itwill :be'seen thattheadjustment of the hollow screw 31 on the frame: 29 willmove the block 28 and with it the slide stop 2 and its surfaces 21% and 21" so that the latter may be positioned with precise accuracy relatively to the frame 29 fixed to the main frame of the machine. Thus the surfaces 21' and 2'!" may be adjusted to accuracy for the units; they are employed to measure. Also, the-nuts 38' may be adjusted to give a suitable contractionof thespring 36 so that when the unit rack strikes the stops 2' l or 21", the shock will be absorbed by said spring, the block 28 sliding on the frame 29 so that the spring receives the said shocks The wall 28 is, of course, spaced from the frame 29. so that the springis effective in absorbing said shock. The shock of the striking of the unit rack againstthe normal stops l0 is'taken up or absorbed through the part l3, theslide 21, the block-28 and the spring36, as will be obvious. It should be pointed out that the stop guide I3 is cut away at the points I3 and I3" (Fig. 3) to provide for the free passage of the unit rack beyond all of the stops l0. without striking the guide and for the accommodation of the slide stop 2'! in-its proper position for measuring 2'7 and 36 units.

As has been previously pointed out, certain keys of the keyboard are connected with punches so as to produce a compound signaL'one of the components thereof being the space transfer signal. The selected keysmay be, for example, the quad and leader keys, and the space transfer signal, that produced by the space or S-punch is employed to transfer the casting of the quad or leader to mechanism in the casting machine employing the space transfer wedge. The space punch is normally connectedwith the first of the series of stops l0 which is marked SIB on Fig. 1. Its position is such as to cause the measuring mechanism as controlledby said stop to measure four units. However, the desired measurement is that of the character itself, which in the case of the quad or leader may be chosen to be abnormally large, as 36 units. The compound signal employing the S-punch is necessary, but the SH] stop is not desired. I have, therefore, provided a construction whereby theSlO stop will not be operated as a part of the compound signal embodying the S-punch although the space transfer signal alone, as when produced by striking the space bar of the keyboard (and not when compounded with a character signal) will properly operate the S-stop to produce a space measurement of thenormal four units.

The mechanism by which this is'accomplished is provided in connection with the stop bar assembly 9 which is convenientlyheld' in a stop bar case 39 shown particularly, in vFig. '7. In this case are assembled the stop bars, each connected at the top by its lever 8 to its appropriate punch and at its bottom to its" appropriate stop ID. The bars are vertical and generally parallel and are capable of sliding in guides 40 and 4| in an up and down direction. The space punch or S-punch Si is connected with the upper bar portion S42 which extends only about half the length of the other bars and is provided at its lower end with a bend furnishing a cam portion The bar S42 is additionally guided and held by the bracket. The lower p0rtion S45 of the bar whichis of course connected with thestop SH] extends about half the normal length of the bars 9 and includes the pivoted portion $46, the two portions S45 and S46 being pivoted at the point and the upper endof the portion S46 is bent conversely to the formation of the cam 43 of the upper bar S42 and provides a cam portion 48 overlapping the same. A spring 49 between the parts S45 and S46 holds the part S46 with its cam 48 in contact with the said cam 43. A spring 56 between the bar S45 and the case 39 maintains the bar S46 in upper position. Upon the upward movement of the space punch S1, the bar S42 is moved downwardly, as will readily be seen, and this movement due to interaction of the cams 43 and 48 moves the part S46 sidewise as shown in dot-ahd-dash lines in Fig. 7. Therefore, the upward movement of said punch as a part of a compound signal, does not result in the corresponding downward movement of the bar part S45 and accompanying upward movement of'the stop SH). In the normal operation of the space bar or key of the keyboard the punch and bar neighboring or adjoining the S-punch and S42 bar are operated conjointly. This neighboring punch is commonly the 6 unit punch and its bar 651 is normal except that it is provided with a lateral projection which may be produced by the shoulder 652, located so as to be above the bar S46 when the latter is in the dot-and-dash position shown. It is clear, then, that the operation of the space bar alone will normally elevate both the 6 unit punch and the S-punch and that these punches will cause the bar 65! and the upper bar S42 to descend; the latter will cause the bar portion S46 to assume the dot-anddash position by lateral motion and will thus place the bar S46 under the shoulder 652 of the bar 65! and the latter in further descending will cause the portions S46 and S45 to descend against the pull of spring 50 with the final result that both the 6 unit stop and the S-stop SH] will rise in the path of movement'of the unit rack 3. The rack will, of course, be stopped by the 8- stop and the measurement will be-4 units as is usual and normal in the action of the commercial machine.

I claim: I

. l. A typographic keyboard machine for producing-signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values of the types represented by such signals, comprising punches for perforating the type signals and including an S- punch for perforating the space signal, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack, a system of levers for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a back or zero stop for the unit rack comprising a yielding abutment and a spring pressed latch, said latch being positioned out of operable relation to said lever system, an extension between" said lever system and said latch; and carried by. one of said parts whereby the latter is operated by the movement of theformer, forward stopsfor the unit rack, connections between certain of said punches and said stops and including stop bars, one of said bars, the S-bar, being formed in two separated parts, the upper part connected with the S-punch and the lower with the S-stop, the upper part when operated down- 'wardly forcingthe lower part laterally into the path of motion of a second bar, whereby the operation of the upper part of the S-bar will not throw up the S-stop, but the operation of the upper-part of the S-bar and of the said second bar will cause'the stop' connected with the second bar and also the S-stop to be thrown up into operated position.

2. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack provided with teeth for meshing with said wheel, sufficient in number to measure abnormally wide set values, a system of levers for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop for the unit rack comprising a yielding abutment and a spring pressed latch, said latch being positioned out of operable relation to said lever system, an extension between said system and said latch, and carried by one of said parts, whereby the latter is operated by the movement of the former, forward stops for the unit rack located at different tooth distances from the forward end of the rack and including an abnormal width stop located at an abnormal number of tooth distances from said forward end of the rack, whereby both normal and abnormally wide set dimensions of characters may be measured.

3. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforat ing punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack provided with teeth for meshing with said wheel, sufiicient in number to mesh abnormally wide set values, means for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop for the rack, forward stops therefor, including a movable abnormally wide measure stop, located at an abnormal number of rack tooth distances from the forward end of the rack, a spring for maintaining said stop in one abnormally wide stop position and means for moving said stop against the action of said spring into a second abnormally wide stop position.

4. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuringthe set values in units of the types representedby such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack provided with teeth for meshing with said wheel sufiicient in number to measure abnormally wide set values, means for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop for the rack, forward stops therefor including a movable abnormally wide measure stop located at an abnormal number of rack tooth distances from the forward end of the rack, a spring for maintaining said stop in one abnormally wide stop position, a cam on said wide stop and a lever operated from a punch and provided with a cam surface, whereby the operation of said punch and lever will by cam action cause the movement of said stop against the action of said spring into a second abnormally wide stop position.

5. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack provided with teeth for meshing with said wheel, sufiicient in number to measure abnormally wide set values, a system of levers for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop for the unit rack comprising a yielding abutment and a spring pressed latch, said latch being positioned out of operable relation to said lever system, an extension between said system and said latch,

and carried by one of said parts, whereby the latter is operated by the movement of the former, forward stops for the unit rack including a wide measure stop mounted for slidable movement into operative position, a spring for maintaining said stop in one abnormally wide stop position, said stop being provided with a cam, and a lever operated from a punch and provided with a cam surface whereby said lever will cause the wide measure stop to be slided by cam action against said spring action into a second abnormally wide stop position.

6. A typographic kyeboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack, a zero stop and a series of forward stops therefor, connections between certain of said punches and said stops and including stop bars, one of said bars being connected with the space indicating punch, said bar being formed in two parts, the upper part being connected to said space punch and provided with a cam surface at its lower end and the lower part being connected with the space stop and provided with a cam surface at its upper end, the upper part when operated downwardly causing its cam to operate on the cam of the lower part to force the latter laterally into the path of motion of a second bar, whereby the operation of the space punch will not operate the space stop, but the operation of the space punch and a punch connected to said second bar will cause the space stop to be operated.

7. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack, a zero stop and a series of forward stops therefor, connections between certain of said punches and said stops and including stop bars, one of said bars being connected with the space indicating punch, said bar being formed in two parts, the upper part being connected to said space punch and the lower part being connected with the space stop, the upper part when operated downwardly contacting with said lower part to swing it laterally, whereby the operation of the space punch will not operate the space stop.

8. A stop bar assembly for a typographic keyboard machine comprising a case, a series of bars, each movable lengthwise therein, one of said bars the S-bar, comprising an upper section provided with a cam at its lower end and a lower section provided with a cooperating cam at its upper end, and a second one of said series of bars being provided with a projection, whereby the operation of said upper section downwardly will by cam action cause a lateral movement of said lower section into position to be moved downwardly by said projection.

9. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack, a sytem of levers for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop, a series of forward stops including a plurality of wide measure stops and an adjustable shock absorbing mechanism for all of said stops.

10. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack, a system of levers for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop, a series of forward stops including a plurality of wide measure stops on a movable block, a spring for retaining said block in position so that the rack and wheel will measure the maximum measure, means for moving said block against the action of said spring for interposing an intermediate Wide stop, said means being operated by connection with one of said punches and an adjustable shock absorbing mechanism for said maximum and intermediate stops.

11. A typographic keyboard machine for producing signal perforations in a record strip and measuring the set values in units of the types represented by such signals, comprising perforating punches, a unit measuring wheel, a unit rack, a system of levers for meshing and unmeshing said rack with said wheel, a zero stop, a group of forward stops, a wide measure stop, a spring for maintaining said last mentioned stop in inoperative position, means for moving said last mentioned stop against the action of said spring into operative position, said means being connected with one of said punches, a shock absorbing mechanism for said group of forward stops and for said wide measure stop.

GORDON W. CURTISS. 

